Better Days
by mysunwolf
Summary: Remus and Tonks have a baby, but Tonks dies in the process. Remus slowly learns to leave Sirius's memory behind as Remus and Severus raise the child. Slash, sorta RLSB, lots of RLSS, and a bit of HPDM. Kinda AU and a bit OOC.
1. Chapter 1

He didn't know what to do with the child.

He had never been sure of Tonk's true hair color, and the child's color only confused him more, because it was exactly the same as his: mousy brown with a few golden locks that glowed in the sunlight.

Without her, he felt older than even contrasting at her side. He stared at his reflection in the long mirror, a gaunt face with a thin moustache below his nose and stubble beginning to show along his jaw line. Sunken eyes, like those of his mate's still etched in his memory. Not Tonks, never her. Someone closer to him, someone who knew him better than anyone, even better than he knew himself.

Remus Lupin shut his eyes, hiding from the image that was reflected back, the cruel truth of what he had become. He was succumbing to the monster more and more every month, and Sirius Black was no longer here for him as an outlet. Remus cringed at the mere suggestion that he had even once used Sirius, but he knew that it was true, deep in his heart. He always knew how to face the truth without overwhelming himself with it. Until now.

Now, he was broken. He hadn't mended since Sirius had gone away to Azkaban. Remus had been sure that he was gone, that he was dead, or that he was insane beyond repair, or tortured to oblivion. In fact, most people had been sure of this. It wasn't until that night, after hearing of his escape for weeks, that Dumbledore had explained the whole thing to him, the misunderstanding, that Remus had understood. He had found his truth, and he had clung onto it because it was all that he had to live for anymore. Sirius had stayed with Remus, in the same house, but not in the same bed. Sirius did as many chores around the house as he could remember to do, but he was silent. He barely spoke a word.

What had Remus expected? That when he apologized to Sirius, and Sirius accepted, that the horrors he had witnessed in Azkaban would subside and his old self would return? Had he believed that things could ever go back to the way they were? For a brief second, he had. Before he saw Sirius's lean face and hollow eyes, usually so full of life, and his thin body, the robes hanging off him in tatters. The scars that were worse, deeper, rougher than his own, the fingers that clutched at the air in his sleep, growls and whimpers coming from his throat as if he was an animal. Remus hadn't been prepared for this, he hadn't had time.

Things were just starting to get better, too, between him and Sirius. An understanding had been reached, and a bond was retying itself in a tighter knot than ever before. Sirius had smiled again, if only for a second, while staring into Remus's eyes. They had sat over cups of tea and recited poetry from their school days, laughing aloud as they stumbled over verse after verse. Remembering various pranks, or the way Sirius had with girls and boys alike, or Remus's shyness and how Sirius had wooed him. They lived in the past, for the future was too bleak to face. They were growing older, James and Lily were dead, Peter was a traitor, and Harry was getting out of their control, all before they ever really had time to think about the life they had shared.

Then Sirius had gone from him. He had wept and remembered tales of wives whose husbands drowned at sea, feeling so lost, trapped in his grief without a body to cry over. _Shame on you, Lupin_, he would say to himself, _you're so selfish_. But he cried nonetheless.

Then there'd been Tonks. Oh, beautiful Tonks. The embodiment of youth and power, all there, throwing herself at him. He'd never loved a woman like he loved her. He found it hard to be with her, however, when memories of Sirius plagued his dreams. How could he abandon his mate, even if it was to be with this indescribable woman?

She fixed that the night she came into the bedroom wearing a set of Sirius's old robes and having dyed her hair that midnight black color. Remus remembered when he used to breathe that hair, run his fingers through it, and to kiss the silky strands. Tonks had come to him like that on purpose, because she saw the way he looked at the old photographs, the smiling, waving man in them so different from the man who had come from Azkaban. Tonks had tried her best to adopt Sirius's look, and Remus was so lonely after all those years and after Sirius's sudden death. He was dragging her into bed before the triumphant smile could creep into the corners of her mouth, tearing the robes off, and only pausing briefly when he saw her female body underneath.

RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL

It was the full moon that night. The baby was two days late, and Remus was literally tearing himself up with worry.

"How can I not be here when my wife gives birth to our first child?" he wailed, his eyes already shifting into their beast form for the coming moon. The sun was getting low in the sky, and he poured himself another cup of tea, waiting for Severus to come by with the Wolfsbane potion. Tonks was lying on the couch, breathing heavily. If she had any pain at all, Remus or her could ask the doctor to apparate and see what the problem was. Two days they had been doing this, and Remus was at his wit's end, not to mention he was getting nervous for the change.

"Remus," Tonks wheezed from the couch. Sudden fear shot through Remus and he turned around in his chair, almost knocking his tea over in the process. He gazed at this huge-bellied woman who was his wife, but he couldn't remember times when he had loved her. Certainly not now, though he couldn't help feel the excitement of seeing new life growing inside her. No, even as he gazed at that sweet face, the beautiful smile that any man should find attractive, he couldn't love her. He felt a guilt swell in his stomach and spread to his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

"Yes Tonks?" he asked carefully, tiptoeing his way towards her question.

She gave him a winning smile, and even with her hair flashing strange colors, she looked peaceful for a brief moment. "It's not your fault that the change is tonight. It's nobody's fault, it's just our bad luck… resurfacing. So take your potion, and do your wolfy thing, and maybe I'll be waiting with the babe when you come back." She grinned with those perfect teeth and Remus couldn't help but smile weakly back at her.

"Alright, I won't worry anymore. Oh, but what about Severus?" Tonks's eyes sparkled just before she closed them with a sigh.

"Remus Lupin, what will I do with you? Stop worrying! I'm sure Snape will be here any moment."

Just then there was a knock on the front door. Remus and Tonks exchanged a look, and Remus went to get the door. Sure enough, Severus was standing there, greasy hair and all, with long black robes on. Thick robes, too, which meant that it was cold out.

"Remus," Severus said breathily, red-faced. He looked as if he'd sprinted to Remus's house instead of apparating there.

"Severus, do come in, it must be freezing out there." Remus was as gracious as ever, even to a very tardy Snape, and the big-nosed man himself couldn't resist the invitation. Severus bustled through the door, clumsily jostling Remus as he did so, and pulled out a flask as soon as Remus had shut the door behind them.

"Here's the potion, I'm sorry I'm so late–"

"It's alright," Remus assured hastily, snatching the potion from the table. "Do you see my situation, though?" Remus downed the potion as Severus turned around to find Tonks giving him a cheeky wave from the couch. He turned back to Remus.

"You're leaving her alone?" he asked. Remus glared at him.

"Snape," he barked, throwing the potion across the room where it clattered to the wooden floor. "Obviously you do not realize that the full moon is tonight!"

"Of course I realize!" Severus snapped back. "I just–"

"Oh, I know, I'll stay here so that I can _claw the baby to death as soon as it pops out!_ What if something happens, you twit? If I go mad, I could kill Tonks and the baby in the process!"

"Remus, I realize that, but with the potion–"

"Damn the potion! Damn all the potions that ever were! I _hate_ potions!"

Severus realized that Remus was getting irrational at this point, that it was too close to the full moon, and he decided to back off. "Maybe you should go change somewhere other than here, then," Severus said halfheartedly.

"I will then!" Remus shouted, and apparated on the spot, to where, Severus didn't know, and didn't care for that matter.

Now he was trapped. There was Tonks lying on the couch, breathing heavily, and then there was him leaving to get a nice cup of tea and settle into his warm bed. Because he still had a heart left in him, he chose to stay with Tonks, and though he wasn't much for conversation, he tried to start one anyway.

"So, Tonks, what have you been up to lately?"

She looked off thoughtfully into the distance before saying pointedly, "Eating. And sleeping. Thinking of a good name for this crazy kid. Waddling around Hogsmeade looking like a fat lunatic. Being pregnant. And you?"

Severus merely stared at her. He wasn't so sure how to handle pregnant women, never having been around women much in general, except for death eaters, and he certainly couldn't deal with Tonks now. (Severus was convinced that death eaters didn't exactly count as human, nor did they exactly have a specific gender. Then again, he was one of them.)

In response to Tonks' odd statements, he merely nodded and looked over at the stove to see if there was a kettle. There was, and, whipping out his wand, he filled it with water and set the heat on high. While he was at it, he pulled two mugs from the cabinet with a flick and placed tea bags in them.

"Want any tea, Tonks?" Severus asked in his politest voice, turning to her briefly.

"Yes please," Tonks said with a weak smile, "Thank you, Severus. And by the way, I expect superb tea from a potions master." She gave him a little wink and he hastily turned back to his kettle. That wink was deeply disturbing.

Soon, the tea was ready. He handed her a mug and sat down in a chair beside the couch.

"You know you can leave, right Severus?" she asked, sipping the tea distastefully. Snape perked up at that.

"Well, I'd hate to leave." He was only trying to be polite, but Tonks jumped on his comment.

"It would be nice to have your company a little longer, at least until the doctor gets here," she said, and that was that. Severus was stuck waiting with a crazy pregnant woman for at least another ten minutes, not to mention that they had absolutely nothing in common. Well, except being on the same side (though thinking back on the Death Eaters, he wasn't sure the light side was really a novelty).

"So how's Remus been?" he asked, because Lupin was a subject he could actually talk about without squirming.

"Remus?" she whispered. Tonks got a dreamy look in her eyes that made her look as if her spirit had left her body and flown… somewhere else. To wherever Remus was. Snape was suddenly pulled by some emotion that was running in the veins beneath his skin, something so subtle that it made his flesh tingle and his stomach stir. If he wasn't mistaken, this emotion was jealousy, but of the way Tonks cared for Remus? That didn't make much sense to Snape.

"Yes," Severus said wearily, "Remus."

"He's just as beautiful as ever. Even when he gets crazy before the full moon, I can't help but love him." She paused. Her eyes seemed to clear up at first, and then adopt a concerned look. "He's been distant lately." She looked right at Snape. "Severus, have you ever loved someone before, but not really been sure if they loved you back?"

Snape stood from the chair with his mug to go put it in the sink, avoiding answering the question that had hit too close to home.

"Severus, I–"

"Don't," Snape said hurriedly, "I don't need more apologies." He sighed and went back to sit in the chair. "Of course, Tonks. You think I'm not capable of love?"

"Oh, Severus, no. That's not what I meant."

"Yes, yes it is." He smirked. "I get that a lot."

Tonks ran a hand through her hair and sat up. "So who is this you love, Severus?" she asked.

Snape shook his head and allowed himself a sad smile. "None of your business, my dear Tonks." Just then, the doorbell rang and Tonks perked up.

"That's the doctor."

"I'll see him in and then I'll be off, alright?"

"Thank you, Severus, you're a dear."

Snape opened the door, but it wasn't the doctor.

"Remus?" he gasped, looking at the bedraggled man. His eyes were a piercing yellow, his face already taking on a gaunt, wild look, while his robes still hung off him, but in tatters.

"I need… to tell you something…" he rasped, gripping Severus' arm.

With a pop, the doctor appeared standing next to Remus on the doorstep.

"Mr. Lupin?" the doctor questioned, craning his neck to view Remus. Remus hid his face and violently shook his head.

"Severus, I'll come see you…" And then Remus was gone, apparated to wherever he changed. Severus shook himself clear of that disturbing sight; Remus was usually such a calm, thoughtful person, and to see him acting so irrational was always strange.

"I'll be off, then, Tonks is inside," Snape told the doctor, and apparated. The doctor, only a little confused, went inside the house and closed the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Snape had apparated back to his house, a small place that was a little shabbier than Lupin's, but not quite as laid back. Severus always made sure that everything was in order, even if that meant sacrificing his valuable time. Now that he thought it over, however, his time was worth less now than it had been ten years ago.

He sighed and gave up on trying to understand old age. Voldemort had certainly managed living forever, something that Snape knew he never wanted to do, and it hadn't gotten him anywhere. Well, besides almost ruling the wizarding world (oh yes, that).

Snape magicked himself a cup of tea and took it into the bedroom, where his bed was made up perfectly and the book he was reading was sitting on the nightstand.

Even when the tea was empty and the book more than half finished, he couldn't sleep. Instead, Snape glanced at the clock, saw that it was two in the morning, and continued to try and read his book by very dim lighting.

At half past three, there was a banging noise on his front door, followed by loud curses that carried through the walls and shouts of "Severus!" in a very familiar voice. Snape sighed, put down his book, and went to get the door.

Standing there in the slowly falling snow was Remus Lupin, half-naked and nearly frozen, giving Severus those hollow eyes again that begged for shelter.

"Come in, Remus," Severus said coldly, and closed the door quickly behind him. The werewolf limped to the couch, snatching a blanket on the way, and was soon curled up fast asleep. In Severus's house. It wasn't that this didn't happen often, but usually Remus drank his potion and settled down like a good werewolf beside Severus's fire where he could monitor the wolf in case something went wrong. This time, however, he had insisted on changing somewhere else, and had come back battered, meaning that even with the potion, he'd beat himself up over something. Possibly leaving Tonks' side?

Snape retreated to his room to think, but realized that he couldn't think there, and he couldn't sleep, so he went back into the living-room-dining-room-kitchen area to make another cup of tea and sit by a warm fire. Besides, from the chair by the fire he could keep a close eye on Lupin.

Snape sipped the tea with distaste, as it was too weak, and gazed into the dancing flames. Every few minutes his gaze would drift to the sleeping Lupin, who looked all too handsome in tattered robes, and he would wonder why the werewolf hadn't gone to his pregnant wife to sleep. _Really_, he thought, _it's none of my business_. And that was that.


	3. Chapter 3

She was dead. Cold and ugly, the life that defined her as Tonks gone from her body. Remus had seen countless dead before, and none had looked as grotesque as Tonks' body, though he couldn't understand why. She looked beautiful, white lilies lining her casket, wearing her favourite powder blue dress. She'd asked to be cremated, but Remus couldn't bare to attend that ceremony, so the flames consumed her without him having to watch. Her ashes were scattered in the mountains of her home town.

He didn't cry a single tear for that woman. Well, that wasn't true. He cried many tears, but not for her exactly, merely for the loss of a life. But he hadn't loved her really. She'd barely been his friend, and here she was, dead and gone. The problem?

There was the baby to deal with. The baby hadn't died with her, but had lived. Remus was both glad of this, and a little disappointed. He felt evil thinking these thoughts, but he'd almost wished that the little maggot had just faded away with its mother. Though she was the cutest baby Remus had ever seen (Harry was ten times cuter, though, that he knew), she was a handful without her mother, and for the longest time she hadn't eaten the formula milk he was feeding her.

For the fifth time that week, Remus had gone over to Severus's house to get him to brew a special additive potion to make the milk more appealing to the child. And for the fifth time, the baby had finally taken the bottle when Remus had offered the new milk instead of the regular formula.

"How do you get her to do that?" Remus said in wonder, holding the bottle as the little girl drank readily from Snape's potion.

Snape smirked, shrugged, and went to make some tea, since Remus was once again his guest. The perfect Englishman.

Meanwhile, Remus started a fire in the fireplace and sat in a comfy chair. He was so exhausted from taking care of the crazy baby, and he hadn't even found a name for her. Tonks had wanted to name the baby girl Lily, after her favourite flower, but that name had hit too close to home for Remus, and so he had picked a name he liked better: Sirius. Tonks and him had fought for hours about that name, not to mention the fact that it wasn't a girl's name. So, now he was at an impasse.

"Severus," Remus asked as Snape walked in with the tea, "do you have any name suggestions?"

"Alyssa," Severus said quickly, placing Remus's cup on the table and sat down himself.

Remus laughed. "Sounds like you were just waiting for me to ask." The baby started whining and flinging her arms, so Remus removed the bottle and attempted to burp her.

Severus looked offended. "I just like the name. Anyways, you're doing that wrong, let me show you." Remus readily handed over the baby, and Snape proved to be skilled at child care.

"How do you know how to deal with these things, Severus?" Remus whined, sipping his tea.

Snape smirked again and then sighed. "Remus Lupin, you obviously don't know or understand me at all." He carried the baby to a makeshift cradle (a milk crate with blankets galore) and set her down where she instantly fell asleep.

"So I guess her name's Alyssa," Remus said sadly. He finished the last of his tea and looked over at Severus to see what his next move was.

"If you want to stay the night, she's already sleeping well, so you can stay in the guest bedroom," Snape blurted out all in one breath. Remus nodded at him, and picked up the crate where Alyssa was sleeping soundly in.

"Alright, show me to this 'guest bedroom' since I have only ever slept on your couches and I have no idea where it is, nor how to sleep on a bed." Snape smiled at this little joke, and they walked down the hallway together until they reached the door next to Severus's room.

"Wake me if she needs something, okay?"

"Oh, I will." Remus waved good night and went into the guest room, closing the door behind him. Severus waited a few seconds, listening for sounds of Remus getting ready for the night, before heading off to his own room to get some much needed sleep.

Alyssa's cry woke Remus immediately, and he groaned and sat up. The room around him was pitch black, so he fumbled for the light switch. With a click, the brightness blinded him and he growled at the pain in his poor eyes.

"Do you ever sleep, Alyssa?" Remus chided, grabbing the crate with the still-crying baby and going to find Severus.

"Snape!" Remus snarled, banging on his bed room door. "You have to come out and help me with this child that you named!" After much knocking, screaming, and threats to blast the door off its hinges, Severus came to the door. He was dressed in a long black robe, his oily black hair hanging in strings in front of his face, his eyes sunken and baggy from the lack of sleep, his face paler than usual, and on his feet were… bunny slippers.

"Muggle present," he muttered when he saw Remus staring at them. "Can I see the baby?" Remus shoved it towards him, and waited for Severus to work his magic, but they both just stood there, staring at each other strangely, as if they had just come across a revelation. Remus stared at this man that he had known almost his entire life, and he felt something new run through his mind. Severus was experiencing what he knew to be love, but he did not want to believe it. He could not love a rival house, a man, but he especially could not love _Sirius's_ man, could not love Remus Lupin. But the feelings were bubbling up inside of him, and he could not keep them in any longer.

"Severus, I–"

"The baby," Snape reminded him, and went to go refill the bottle. Remus, not knowing what else to do, lingered by the door to Severus's room, feeling like a teenager again. When Severus returned, the baby was asleep again, and he went to put the crate back in the guest room. Remus watched from Severus's door frame the whole time, and when Snape finally came to return to his room, the shy little werewolf was waiting. Again, their eyes met and they held each other's gaze. Remus took a step closer. Snape did the same. Then Remus placed his mouth on Severus's mouth, softly, like he used to do with Sirius, and Severus opened for him. Remus was the first to dip his tongue into the other's mouth, running it along Severus's teeth, making the other man shiver. Severus drew Remus closer with an arm around his waist while Remus wrapped his arms around Severus's neck, making sure not to break the kiss.

Severus drew back first, just a little, but it was the end of that kiss. Remus still wore a puzzled look, but Severus just smiled a genuine, content smile at Lupin.

"Come on, wolf. Let's get to bed." Remus blushed, and followed Snape into his room, shutting the door behind them.


	4. Chapter 4

Just kissing that night. Kissing, and touching all over, but nothing more. Still, for the moment, Remus was satisfied, and Alyssa slept the rest of the night.

Severus had his arm draped over Remus's bare shoulders protectively, their bodies curled against each other, their breathing at the same pace, and Remus remembered something. He remembered curling up like that with Sirius, a few weeks before his death, only that time Sirius had been the uncertain one and Remus had been the one to hold him in his arms. Sirius Black, uncertain? The girls at school would have never believed it, and even Sirius himself would never have acted that way. But after Azkaban, Sirius was not himself. Remus had to be the one to guide him to the bed, to kiss him gently until he gave in and kissed back. Remus should have enjoyed the feelings of power from those nights, but his happiness was always shadowed by the thought of Sirius's changed personality and the fear that he would lose Sirius again.

That fear had been confirmed.

How to get over Sirius Black? No one he dated ever did. Remus felt like he could never get over that man. And yet…

Here was Severus. Enemy of the Marauders since James and Sirius had decided it, but Remus had never hated him. In fact, mostly he had pitied him. Poor Snivellus Snape, always being picked on by the Gryffindors (for no apparent reason), Remus Lupin always sticking up for him. Even after the werewolf incident, when Sirius had spilled Remus's furry little secret to the greasy potions genius.

Remus felt Severus stir and sit up.

"Remus?" the man asked softly. Remus felt his heart melt, and he could barely speak.

"Severus, I have a question," Remus said roughly. Severus chuckled as Remus struggled to sit up. They leaned against the wall, blankets pulled up around their waists, the length of their arms touching.

"Ask away."

"When Sirius–"

"We're not going to talk about him, are we?" Severus sounded impatient.

"Can I finish my question?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

"When Sirius," (Snape cringed), "told you about me, back at school, what did you… what did you think?"

"I wanted to kill the snobbish little prat, for one," Snape said coolly, his blank expression only a mask to hide the rising fury.

"No, but I mean… about me."

"Oh," Snape sighed, and shook his head. "When I saw you like that, I couldn't believe… Now you have to let me finish, otherwise this will sound bad. I mean, first of all, it was hard to believe an intelligent person such as yourself would ever want to hang around those two troublemaking blood traitors–"

"Severus!" Remus shouted, trying to stick up for his best friend and his boy friend, both dead. Snape shook his head.

"I said no interrupting, so hold on. What I couldn't understand then, seeing you change into that monster in front of my eyes, was two other things. How strange it was that the bookish, shy Lupin boy was a raging wolf on the full moon, and how accepting those damned Marauders had to be to allow you to stay in your circle. It was then that I started researching werewolves."

"I have more questions. Like why you were trying to get me fired or found out or something on many occasions. Why you–"

"Enjoyed the control I had over you? Oh yes, Lupin, that was the best. I could make you do just about anything if I threatened to take away your precious wolfsbane potion." Snape smirked and repositioned himself so that his legs were on either side of Remus's body, and he was so close to his face, whispering adoring words and apologies mixed with soft kisses. And Remus? Remus forgot about his questions.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning was awkward, to say the least. They had been friends the day before (friends was an overstatement, really), and now, the next day, they were supposed to be lovers. Remus spent the day locked in the guest room, feeding Alyssa the remainder of Snape's extraordinary formula from the bottle, rocking her to sleep, and lying on the bed just thinking. He tried to read when he felt stupid for just sitting around, but he got trapped on the first page of his new book, and he finally sighed and put the book down. It was ridiculous, really, to be so immature about the whole thing. Logic Lupin would just sit down and have a nice long discussion with Snape considering their relationship. Remus could picture their conversation perfectly:

_"So where is this going, Severus?"_

_"Remus, I think we should get married and adopt lots of children and live happily ever after!"_

Remus shook his head. "Snap out of it, Lupin," he muttered to himself, smacking his own forehead. Fantasizing was not going to make anything better. He decided that he needed a long-term plan for the way this weekend was going to go. This was the last weekend of the summer, and he didn't know what he would do when he had to go back to Hogwarts to teach. Should he request some sort of male maternity leave for Alyssa's birth? Or maybe he should bring her to school and she could sleep in his office while he taught his classes. But what if she woke up during class and started crying and all the students heard and… oh, Merlin. And what would Harry think of the whole thing? How would Remus ever tell Harry about his relationship with Snape? A Slytherin teacher, head of the Slytherin house, always docking points here and there, never much liked Harry because James was such a pratt to him when they were young. God, Remus wished he was young again, back in his school days, when everything was perfect, and when he had Sirius.

His mind was racing once again, spinning in circles, doubting his love for the Potions master, worrying over teaching classes next year, worrying over Alyssa, when suddenly the door knob turned. Gathering his composure, he dived for his book that had been thrown to the ground so casually, and pretended to be reading on the bed. With a horrible creaking, the door opened and Severus walked in with a very strange look on his face that almost seemed caring.

"Remus? Can I come on?" Severus asked. Oh, that man was good. Asking permission to come into his own house… Remus sighed and gave him a smile.

"Of course, Severus." He shut the door behind him and came over to sit on the bed while Remus put down his book and stared intently at Snape.

"What are your plans, for this year?" Severus asked coldly, reverting back to his old tone of voice, the monotone. Remus didn't like it.

"I'm teaching, if that's what you mean," Remus snapped, and Severus looked hurt for a second before regaining his mask.

"I know you're teaching," Severus said mildly, "I meant about the girl."

"Alyssa," Remus hissed, suddenly angry at Severus, and he didn't know why.

"Fine, then," Severus drawled, "Alyssa. What are you going to do about her while you're teaching?"

"I'll think of something!" Remus shouted, throwing the book at Severus, who jumped off the bed. He had woken Alyssa with his yelling, and she began wailing in her make-shift crib. "And you! You just… just… stay out of my business, _Snape_! I don't want you taking–"

"Will you shut up!" Snape roared, "You're disturbing the damned child!"

"She is not just a damned child! She is my child, my baby! You can't take her from me, you hear? My Alyssa!" Remus stood from the bed and began taking steps towards Severus. "Get out of here, now! I want you out!" he screamed, shoving Snape towards the door. Alyssa screamed louder.

"This is my house!" Snape screeched, but retreated nonetheless. "Understand that, _Lupin_, this is my house." Snape pulled open the door and slammed it shut behind him, Alyssa crying even louder in the background. Outside the door, Snape waited a few minutes. He heard Remus go to comfort the child with soft words, and he felt pain stab at his heart. Remus was under a lot of stress, it wasn't fair to yell at him, to pressure him, but Severus couldn't stop himself. Lupin was a guest in his house, a mere friend, and barely that. Severus would not be shouted at in his own house, but for the moment he let the argument be, and decided he needed a breather from the werewolf and his child. Snape decided that he would go buy some ingredients for dinner, almost a going away feast, because Lupin would not be staying with him tomorrow. Oh no, this sleeping arrangement was over, the werewolf would just have to find somewhere else to go at the end of the school day.

* * *

**AN: Wheeeee, that was a fun chapter to write. Bit short, though... BTW, there will be HPDM in the next chapter, hooray! So this chapter was about anger, more anger, and boredom... a brief resolution for Snape at the end, too. Ah, good stuff. Reviews:D Yayayayayayayayay, reviews make my heart sing O.O Please? Reviews? I LOVE YOU ALL REVIEWERS!**


	6. Chapter 6

Severus Snape did not apologize. In fact, the words were not even in his vocabulary. He would not admit that he had done something wrong because Severus Snape did not do anything _wrong_: he merely made errors every once in a while. He had admitted to himself that it had been an error to try and pretend like nothing had happened between him and Lupin the previous night, but there was no way in hell that he would apologize for it. Which meant that he would spend his last free Sunday sitting in the kitchen, sipping tea, and waiting for Remus Lupin to apologize for yelling at him before admitting to Remus Lupin that he had made a slight error.

Remus Lupin hated apologizing. It made him feel uncomfortable, mostly because he rarely meant apologies. He had meant it when he had apologized to his parents for them having to endure his transformations; he had meant it when he had apologized to James for blowing up their cauldron in potions; he had even meant it when he had apologized to Sirius for not being a good kisser; but Remus Lupin was not sorry for yelling at Snape, and so he could not find it in his heart to apologize. Instead, he was waiting for Snape to admit to doing something wrong. In fact, Remus Lupin would sit in the guest bedroom all day on his last free Sunday if he had to, waiting for Snape to apologize first.

The two would have sectioned themselves off for the entire day, there was no question about that, except that at precisely noon there was a loud pop at the front step and repeated knocking at the front door. Snape was suspicious, as he had not expected any visitors, and readied his wand. Lupin was equally nervous, but he stayed shut in the guest room, listening for who was at the door.

Snape opened the door cautiously, and then Lupin heard a voice ring throughout the front room.

"Heard Remus was here."

"Bill!" Remus gasped from the bedroom, and went to go greet him.

As Remus walked into the front room, the red-haired man at the door turned his attention towards the werewolf and grinned. "Bill Weasley!" Remus shouted, holding his arms out. Bill pulled Remus into a warm hug.

"Hey Remus," Bill whispered, a smile on his face.

Snape cleared his throat loudly, glowering at Bill. Breaking apart from Remus, Bill stared lazily at the potions professor.

"The Order sent me to check on Remus, since he hasn't shown up at Grimmauld Place. I guess they were right…"

"Right? About what?" Snape questioned coolly, still managing to glare.

"Well, they said Remus always shelters at your place after a change," Bill said simply with a shrug. "Anyway, I found him, and he's fine. Aren't you, Remus?"

Remus nodded his head solemnly. "Yeah, just fine."

There was an awkward silence in which Bill shuffled his feet and stared at the floor, Remus glanced around the room, and Severus frowned at Bill. Finally, Severus spoke.

"Would you like some tea?" he spat, clearly not enjoying himself. Bill looked up and grinned, first at Severus, then at Remus.

"Sure, that'd be great," he said, and followed Snape into the kitchen, Remus trailing nervously behind.

In a few minutes, they were all seated around the circular kitchen table with their steaming mugs of black tea, sugar and cream laid out in the center, and no one saying a word. Remus decided to break the ice this time around.

"So Bill, how's work been recently?" Remus asked.

"You know, the same. Have you heard about the new information on Bellatrix?" Remus shook his head. "Well, we have clues to her whereabouts. And we think we might soon gain another ally. A crossover, if you will." Remus leaned in closer to Bill. "You won't believe this, but Regulus has been leaking information to the Order." Remus froze in his chair. He took a sip of tea and averted his eyes from Bill's.

"Right, Regulus. Right," he muttered, pouring some cream into his tea and stirring it with the small metal spoon in hurried circles around the mug.

"Remus? Are you alright?" Bill asked quickly, and then lowered his voice almost to a whisper. "I'm sorry if I said something wrong, I haven't been sleeping lately, and I–"

"It's alright," Remus said quickly, glancing over at Snape.

"Remus," Snape said gently, grasping the hand that was still holding the tea spoon. "I… I'm… sorry, okay?" Snape said quickly, withdrawing his hand and going quiet. Remus looked up at him and smiled.

"I'm sorry too, Severus," he said in a soft voice. Bill looked back and forth between the two, bewildered, and stood from the table.

"Well, I'd better go, the Order will want to hear back." He looked at Severus briefly. "Thank you for the tea, Severus." Then, with a pop, he was gone.

"Last night…" Severus started, but Remus shushed him and shook his head.

"It happened, right? And now we have to deal with whatever comes next. But we have to help each other through this."

Severus smirked. "Of course, Remus. That's what friends are for."

"I'm serious about this, Sev. I don't want–"

"Wait a second. Did you just refer to me as 'Sev'?"

Remus blushed, and Severus laughed. "In that case, I get to call you Rem, just to be fair."

"Alright," Remus whispered, and then he added, "_Sev._" Rem was not the Remmy that Sirius had called him: it was something different, and Remus liked it.

"Help me clean up?" Severus asked. Remus nodded and pulled out his wand to collect the tea cups from the table: their afternoon would not be wasted after all.

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**AN: Alright, sorry for the lack of HPDM in this chapter :D Instead, it will be in the next chapter (I hope). Anyways, what did you think of this one?**


	7. Chapter 7

It was Monday, time for school to start again, the first day back at Hogwarts after a long, drawn-out summer. Generally, teachers spent a few weeks beforehand preparing lessons for the coming year, but Severus had finished his preparations early. Remus, however, was lacking in plans for how to handle his first day back at Hogwarts.

"Oh _Merlin_, Sev! Alyssa! What'll I do with Alyssa?" Remus was running around Snape's house, gathering his belongings and generally making a fuss over nothing. "I don't even have the course outlined! I'll have to do it from memory. I wonder what we should start with, can't teach them about bloody werewolves, boggarts scare me shitless, I'll have to work on that before I show it to them, and–"

"Remus John Lupin! Control yourself!" Snape growled irritably, finishing the last line of his letter to Dumbledore, though there was a spark of laughter in his eyes.

"I am controlling myself!" Remus protested, grinning. "What I really want to do right now is run out the front door screaming _Fuck me, Severus! Fuck me!_" Remus turned away from Severus's terrified expression and headed for the kitchen. "Isn't there any fucking _chocolate_ in this house? Don't you enjoy life at _all_, Sev?"

Severus looked at Remus, horrified, wide eyes staring at the back of Remus's head.

Then Severus woke up.

It was Monday, time for school to start again, the first day back at Hogwarts after a long, drawn-out summer. Severus Snape was sitting up in bed after a very odd nightmare, Remus still snoring lightly beside him, curled up into a ball. _Like a little puppy_, Severus thought, and sighed. Severus liked puppies, in general, although he preferred kittens. And of course, wolves were always so much more… dignified. Yes, now that Severus thought about, Lupin looked very wolfish sleeping next to him, an idea that excited him greatly. Shaking the thoughts from his head, Severus neatly removed the blanket from his legs and got out of bed.

"Mmmm, _Sev_," Remus muttered in his sleep, reaching his arms out like a child to the empty place next to him. Severus sighed and began to dress in his best robes for the welcoming feast this evening. He believed that you could never go wrong if you wore black, and so black robes were in the majority inside his closet.

His Hogwarts quarters were always a little claustrophobic, so Severus went to Remus to wake him so that he could leave them.

"Remus, come on, get up," Severus said sternly, gently shaking Remus's shoulder. "You've got to feed Alyssa her breakfast." They had agreed that Remus would feed Alyssa in the morning and then after every morning class he had, and that Severus would do the afternoon meals, as well as dinner. Then, Remus would handle anything that happened during the night. Alyssa would sleep in Snape's rooms, a silencing charm over them, and since both Remus and Severus had classes in the dungeons, she would be easily accessible by the two of them at any point in the day. However, Remus had still been worrying about what to do if Alyssa needed them during a class, and Severus had been thinking about the problem in his sleep but had not yet found a solution.

Remus finally stirred under Severus's touch and opened his eyes. "Severus?" he mumbled sleepily, propping himself up on one elbow. "Time for school already?"

Severus smiled. "We have to dress and have breakfast first, but yes, the feast is tonight. Tomorrow, the classes start."

Remus smirked. "Bunch of dunderheads, right Sev?" he drawled, and Severus smirked.

"Shut up," Severus said playfully with a cunning smile on his lips. "Come on, Lupin, get up. I'll save you a seat at breakfast."

Remus sat up straight and tried not to look too surprised or pleased at the kind gesture. "Really? All right, I'll be there in a few minutes."

Severus left, but not before he caught a glimpse of Remus's bare chest emerging from underneath the blankets, scarred and beaten, but strangely beautiful.

Severus knew all about dark magic; he'd been working for the master of it for years, had read up on all the books of it in the hopes of becoming a professor, and he knew how to combat most of its darker spells. Always included in his dark magic books had been a section on creatures that usually allied themselves with dark wizards, and one of these creatures had been the werewolf. After the unfortunate prank in which Severus had discovered Remus's secret, Severus suddenly became interested in the werewolf condition. From that day forward, Severus had studied them diligently until he knew everything there was to know about them: their behavioral patterns, what they ate as wolves, how the wolf affected the human, how the brain changed during transformations, and even their mating rituals, as both wolves and humans. Because of all this tedious research, Severus knew exactly the sort of things that the werewolves did to themselves during a particularly bad transformation, or if they were cooped up too long. This wasn't the first time Severus had seen Lupin's scarred chest, and even before his first glimpse he had prepared himself, but even all the preparation couldn't have readied himself for what it had really been. When Severus had seen Remus's chest again that morning, it had been just as terrifying, but he could never let the werewolf know that. If Remus thought that Severus was bothered by him in any way, Remus would break off their _thing_ very quickly.

It was with these thoughts of the wolf that Severus entered the dining hall that morning, the room arranged much like it was during the holidays, but without the extra cheer. There was one long table in the center of the room at which an assortment of staff were sitting, and Snape went to join them, putting on his best indifferent look. Dumbledore was sitting regally near the center of one bench, and Severus went to join him.

"Morning, Albus," Severus said slowly, climbing into the seat with surprising grace.

"Good morning, Severus!" Dumbledore said cheerily, his eyes shining even this early in the morning. "How did you sleep?"

"Very well, actually," Snape admitted, spooning warm cereal into his bowl. "You?"

"Fine, fine. It's been lonely here without the students. I'm looking forward to this year."

"Sir, don't you look forward to every year?" Severus said calmly, a smile tugging so faintly at the edge of his lips that even Dumbledore didn't see it.

"Ah, of course, Severus. This year, however, we have Professor Lupin back to teach Defense." Dumbledore paused and glanced towards Snape. "Seems the problem with his lycanthropy has been resolved by the ministry. Good thing, too, because it was difficult for me to understand the loss of such a skilled teacher because of such a silly difference."

"Sir," Severus growled, his face darkening, "I believe I have apologized _profusely_ to both you and Remus–" Snape paused, realizing his error, gave fleeting look towards Dumbledore, and then shoved a spoonful of mushy oats into his mouth to avoid answering Dumbledore's next question.

"Severus, since when do you call Mr. Lupin by his first name?"

Snape chewed his oatmeal with a poisonous look on his face and tried to think of an answer. Dumbledore waited patiently, that familiar glint in his eyes, for Snape to finish, but before that could happen, Remus stepped through the doors to the great hall. For a second, Severus had an image of Remus skipping up to the table shouting 'Sev!' at the top of his lungs, but then Remus did something very different. Lupin slowly walked to the table, his tattered black robes billowing behind him, with a bored look on his face. When he reached the table, Severus was still pretending to chew on his oatmeal and Dumbledore was watching them both with a smile.

"Severus, may I sit here?" Remus said coldly. All Severus could do was nod curtly, and then Remus was climbing onto the bench and plopping himself next to Severus.

"Oh good, they have oatmeal today," Remus said, pretending as if nothing was going on, and he turned to Severus. "Is it any good, Severus?"

Snape gulped down the hot cereal and stared at Remus. "Yes. Yes, the oatmeal is very good, Remus." Then he turned back to Dumbledore. "You were saying, sir?"

"Nothing, nothing," the headmaster muttered, turning away, and Snape smirked ever so slightly, just enough so that Remus could see it. "Well, I should get back to my office. Good day, Severus." Dumbledore turned to the werewolf. "Remus." Then, rising from the bench, he made his way out of the dining hall. Severus turned back to Remus.

"Well! That went well, yes?"

Remus smiled. "Oh yes. Albus will have figured out everything by the time classes start tomorrow." Remus paused and cocked his head. "We didn't even have to answer any questions," he said in awe, and Severus laughed. Severus really laughed.

"Lupin, what am I going to do with you?" He shook his head, and they both took a spoonful of oatmeal and shoved it into their mouths.

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**AN: How was that? I tried to make it a decent length, and to not have much of a plot since I wanted to just write a bit of nonsense. Anyways, I PROMISE, the next chapter will have HPDM. Cause it just has to :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Ah, I'm sorry it's been forever, and even in this chapter there isn't much HPDM, please don't kill me! This is going somewhere, it'll just take a while... Anyways, here's another chapter! Yay!**

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The other members of the staff had all congratulated Professor Lupin on his return to the school, wished him luck with the baby, and offered their condolences for his wife's death, all while he was trying to eat his breakfast. Though they gave Severus a strange look as they did so, Remus did not feel like telling them about their 'thing,' mostly because he didn't really know what it was or how people would react to it, but also because somewhere in there he would have to explain the baby. Remus did not want to explain Alyssa to anyone, although he realized that it might be easier for him in the long run. Dumbledore already knew that he had a child, and if he knew that the baby was at Hogwarts, maybe he could help take care of her. Still, Remus did not tell anyone. Instead, after he was finished with breakfast, he left the great hall and headed for the dungeons. Walking down the long corridors, he waited for Severus's footsteps to catch up with his. Their plan was to act normal, as if they were casual acquaintances and colleagues. Remus realized that they would have to discuss their 'thing' if they wanted it to go anywhere, but he wasn't sure if he was quite ready for that yet.

"Remus," Severus called softly from the end of the hallway, and Remus spun around immediately and smiled.

"Severus," he whispered when they were closer, his eyes shining with concern, "what're we going to do about this?"

"We'll think of something," Snape growled, eyes out of focus and drifting somewhere past Remus's shoulder. Remus walked forward until he was face to face with Severus, and stared into his dark eyes. The werewolf reached a timid hand out to grasp Severus's cloak, and he tugged on it gently, childishly, trying to get Severus's attention. The dark-haired man's eyes cleared and stared into Remus's. "Let's go rest before the feast," Snape said simply, and turned to walk back to his room, Remus walking alongside him.

The two sat in the lonely class room all afternoon, talking about the students they had dealt with over the years, essays they had assigned, and why Harry and Draco were both such prats.

"Draco promised to come visit me after the feast," Severus said, and Remus smiled.

"So did Harry… he's very pleased that I'm his teacher again this year."

"Did you give him a break in class just like I do for Draco?" Snape teased with a smirk, and Lupin laughed.

"Of course, Sev. Even Gryffindors have their favorite students," Remus paused, as if contemplating something, and cocked his head. "You know… I don't think Harry has quite gotten that yet. Or maybe he has, considering how he tolerated Draco last year."

"Those two have gone from _loathing_ each other to practically avoiding each other!" Severus marveled. "It's insane! They've gone mad!"

"There is something odd about it," Remus admitted. "Maybe they've come to some sort of agreement? Or a truce?"

Severus shook his head. "I'm going to go make some tea," he grumbled, and turned to Remus kindly. "Want a cup?"

Remus nodded quickly, and Severus got up to put the kettle on to boil. Snape was making tea the muggle way, but Remus didn't say anything, preferring the muggle way of making tea anyway. There was a crash from the mini kitchen, and Snape yelped.

"Bloody f–" he clenched his teeth and hissed through them as Remus came running.

"Severus, what have you done now?" Remus chided, and Severus looked like an angry cat, licking at his burn, his eyes mere dark slits.

"I was attempting to pour the water… but I dropped the kettle," he growled, pointing to the floor. "I'm going to find some burn salve, stay there."

Snape came back after a few minutes of rummaging through his private potion cabinet, and Remus had cleaned up the kitchen with a few spells. Severus was very grateful, and then they both had tea, made with the help of magic this time; it tasted just the same.

The feast was upon them quickly.

Remus and Severus sat at the staff table together, ignoring most of the other professors, instead just whispering to each other. To Severus' right, Albus was making his yearly speech that dragged on and on… Lupin was ready to curse himself if the old codger didn't shut up soon.

"And may I remind all students that the Forbidden Forest is _forbidden_, meaning you are not allowed anywhere near it." Lupin sighed. Finally, he was finished.

"I must also add–" Bloody hell, there was more! "–that Professor Lupin will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, and we are thrilled to have him back with us. That is all."

Remus was blushing, he just knew it. He could see Severus' smirk out of the corner of his eye, and feel the heat rising in his cheeks. It was one of his weaknesses, that he was always blushing at these stupid events, and it didn't help his mood to be both embarrassed _and_ hungry.

"Remu–"

"Shh!" Remus hissed as Severus tried whispering to him. Then Severus slouched a little, and almost appeared to be pouting. Remus wished he could take it back, but his stomach was churning, making these growling sounds that scared him. He breathed a sigh of relief when the food appeared, and started dishing out heaping spoonfuls of everything he could reach.

"May I speak now?" Severus growled, serving Remus potatoes.

Remus blinked and looked up at Severus. "Er, yes? Sorry, Severus, there was no food…" Remus trailed off and gave Snape a sheepish grin.

Severus snorted, eyeing Remus' plate. "Do you always eat like that? And if so, how does a man your age continue to stay thin?"

"I run," Remus said simply, his face serious, and then he began eating like the wild beast that raged inside him. Severus shivered.

Remus felt strange during the feast, which was not good for a werewolf. He felt daring, wild, and… very much unlike Remus Lupin. He could feel the wolf surfacing, clawing its way out from where Remus had tucked it away after the last full moon. With deep breaths, he focused all his energy on forcing the wolf back into the small space deep inside him, where it wouldn't come out: until the next full moon, of course. That business finished, he glanced at his plate and realized that he felt a little sick. No more food for the wolf.

"Can we go now?" Remus whispered to Severus, who smirked but said nothing in return.

Remus sat, very bored, drinking more and more wine, while everyone else finished the meal. Then Dumbledore had the prefects escort the other students to the dorms, and the staff could finally leave the damned table.

"Where are you meeting Potter? Er, I mean Harry?" Snape asked as they stood outside the dining hall.

"In my office, actually," Remus said grimly, looking haggard and a little drunk. "Should we go to your office instead?"

"I think that would be a good idea. Potter–er, Harry–won't get suspicious when you suggest my office?"

Remus smiled. "Ah, but we have to tell them sometime, Sev," he said softly, stepping closer to Severus. They kissed briefly in the empty hallway.

"Oh, I told Albus about Alyssa," Snape added casually when they were separated.

"What?" Remus hissed, narrowing his eyes. "I thought we agreed _not_ to tell him!"

"Albus understands, he said he will send a house-elf by to care for her even–."

"That's not the point," Remus snapped. "_We_ weren't going to tell him. And she's _my_ child. Couldn't you have at least told me?"

"No, because you would have either absolutely refused, or gone mad like you are now," Snape growled. "And don't cut me off."

"Okay, fine," Remus said in exasperation, throwing his arms into the air. "All's well that end's well, I suppose. She's cared for. Albus is okay with a baby in the castle. Now, I have to go meet Harry and try to convince him to speak to you."

"Same with Draco," Snape drawled. Lupin gritted his teeth and spun around, storming off down the hallway, his robes billowing. Snape couldn't help but smile.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Remus!" Harry shouted upon opening the door.

"Harry," Remus said gently with a calm smile, standing from his desk. As usual, the boy was late, but Remus had used the time to prepare for classes the next day. Harry came around the desk and they embraced.

"It'll be so much better this year, with you around and all, you know?" Harry said, pulling away and looking up at Remus. "It would be perfect if Sirius…" Harry trailed off, seeing the pain in Remus's eyes.

"He would have loved to see what you've become," Remus whispered, staring right through Harry. Then he shook his head and focused his energies on the task at hand. "Harry, I need to tell you something, but we have to go… somewhere else."

Harry attempted to raise one eyebrow at Remus, but failed. "Er, why?" Harry asked, frowning slightly in his confusion.

"Because there's something we need to talk about," Remus said, careful not to mention any names yet.

Harry nodded, and they stood in silence for a minute, facing each other but never meeting each other's eyes. "You got my last letter, right?" Harry asked softly, breaking the silence. Remus nodded briefly. The letter spoke of Tonk's death as a loss to the cause, the Order, her friends, Remus, and Harry himself. Also, it congratulated him on his new child, sighting that as the light in his life.

"Thanks for that," Remus finally said quietly, realizing that he needed Harry almost as much as Harry needed him. They were equals, though Remus had lived a good deal longer. It was painful, but… Remus was proud of the boy. After all he'd been through, he'd come out on top, and there was something hopeful in his mere presence. No wonder Albus put so much faith in him.

"No problem," Harry said quickly. "So, we should go then, right?"

"Exactly," Remus said, nodding. "I'll just put away my things, and we'll be off."

After cleaning the parchment off his desk and grabbing his cloak, they left together, Remus waving his wand behind them to lock the door. Since Remus' office was in the dungeons too, it was not a long walk to Snape's office. But along the way, Harry glanced at Remus more than once suspiciously, and by the time they were facing the door to Snape's office, Harry looked ready to run in the opposite direction.

"You'd think the man had tortured you," Remus said softly, giving Harry a concerned look. "He's not as bad as he seems, Harry."

Harry rounded on Remus with a glare. "Have you gone completely mad?" he snarled. "This is Snape we're talking about."

"_Professor_ Snape, Harry," Remus chided, but Harry's glare only intensified. "Maybe if you could listeneto him–"

"I don't want to hear what a bloody _deatheater_ has to say!" Harry growled, glaring at Remus.

"Harry!" Remus barked. "Don't call him that."

"Why? He is one!" Harry was lurid now.

"Harry, grow up and realize that he is only human! And not to stain James' memory, but your father was not exactly perfect, and he was very cruel to Severus."

"My father was not cruel!" Harry shouted, his face reddening. "And you have no right to say those things about him!"

"I have every right," Remus hissed, "and Sirius would have told you the same thing, if he'd gotten the chance!"

"Don't bring him into this!" Harry yelled, tears coming to his eyes.

"I miss him too, Harry, I know how you feel!"

"How could you know what I feel?"

"I loved him!"

Harry stared. _As a brother,_ he told himself quickly. And in that second, he became very tired. He was tired of living, and other people dying, and fighting with people he loved. So Harry shrugged. "I still don't know why you want me to talk to Snape," he said quietly, watching Remus carefully.

Remus sighed. "Come inside and we'll talk," Remus said cautiously, and knocked on the door.

"Enter!" Snape called icily through the door, and Remus opened it.

"Draco," Harry whispered when he saw the blond boy sitting on a chair in the room. The color had left Harry's face, and his skin was almost white against his dark hair.

"H-Harry?" Draco asked quietly, standing from the chair. The Malfoy was pastier than usual. They met each other's eyes, and then glanced at the two teachers, their faces pure confusion. Then they looked at each other again, asking silent questions. Severus and Remus glanced at each other too, shocked that the two boys had called each other by first name.

"Obviously, you two know each other," Snape drawled, interrupting the stunned silence.

"This is weird," Harry said slowly, watching Snape and Lupin. "What's going on?"

"I was going to ask the same thing," Remus said, watching Draco and Harry suspiciously.

"Draco?" Harry asked, turning to the boy. "Should we…?"

"Yeah, yeah we should," Draco said, nodding.

"You go ahead, then," Harry said timidly, and Draco smiled weakly.

"Harry and I are… _together_," Draco explained, turning first to Snape and then to Lupin, watching their wide eyes. Then Remus started laughing. Harry and Draco both turned to him with deadly fire in their eyes.

"What?" Harry challenged.

"N-nothing," Remus said through his laughter. He wiped the tears from his eyes and glanced over at Snape. The potions teacher put his face in his hands and groaned.

"Not nothing," Snape said, his voice muffled by his fingers. He lifted his head and spoke to the boys. "Remus and I are together, too."

There was a brief pause, during which everyone stared at each other. Then they all broke into insane laughter, and even Severus chuckled.

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**Questions? Comments? Review!**


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